National Campaign against Overweight and Obesity

FAQ
  • What is obesity?
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health.
  • Why does the fat accumulation occur?   
It occurs as a result of the fact that there is no correspondence between the energy obtained (through food) and the energy consumed.
  • Could the obesity be measured only by scales?
No, this is a common mistake.
  • What should be reduced: the entire weight, or the rate of the body fats?
In order for the weight loss to be healthy, it should be caused by the decrease of fats.
  • What does the increase of lean body weight refer to?
It refers to more burned calories.
  • What is the difference between over-weight and obesity?
The person is said to have over-weight body mass index is 25-30. But if it is over 30, then he has obesity.
  • How is the body mass index calculated?
By dividing weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters).
  • Does the person has anything do to attain the optimal weight?
Yes.
  • Is the height of a person important in the calculation of his optimal weight?
The more the height, the more the size and mass of the body.
  • What's meant by the body optimal weight?
It is the sum of height and age and sex (male or female).
  • How could the proper weight be attained?
Strong will + good diet + continuous exercise.
  • How could the proper weight be preserved?
Through maintaining a good diet, and keeping to exercise.
  • How could the body weight be known?
It is the sum of the energy acquired by the body from food, and the energy consumed in physical activity.
  • What are the kinds of obesity?
Early obesity, and adult obesity.
  • When does the early obesity begin?
During the child's first months, and sometimes during the final third of pregnancy.
  • Do the fat cells increase during the first year of the child's age?
During the first year, the fat cell increase in size, but not number.
  • When does the number of fat cells increase in normal and healthy children?
Following the first year, until the puberty (adulthood).
  • Do mothers have any effect on their children's obesity?
Sometimes, mothers are the major cause for their children's obesity, as a result of the harmful food behaviors, and the excessive food quantities, that are too much for the early age.
  • Does children's obesity occur for genetic reasons?
Studies show that 80% of children with obesity will continue to suffer from obesity during youth, and so will do the children of obese parents.
  • Some mothers believe that children's obesity is an indication of health. What do you think?
This is completely wrong. Obesity severely affects children, in terms of health, psychology, psychiatrics.
  • What is the effect of obesity on children's health?
It increases the possibility of spinal curvature, arteriosclerosis, heart stokes, inability to move, and feeling tired quickly.
  • How does obesity children's psychiatrics?
It makes him unable play with their friends and colleagues.
  • How is obesity related to children's depression?
The obese child's family and friends may mock his appearance, and inability to move naturally, to the effect that he becomes more inclined to introversion, unsociability, solitude and depression.
  • Does obesity affect children's perception and education?
It has a remarkable effect, since obesity causes fats to accumulate on his chest, thus making hard to breathe soundly. There would be, as a result, a decline of the quantity of oxygen reaching the brain, and the whole body. This may lead up to indolence and mental impairment. 
  • Is it possible to overcome children's over-obesity during puberty?
Well, it is very unlikely to over children's over-obesity, since exercise is effective only in downsizing fat cells, but it cannot reduce the number of such cells.
  • Does children's obesity foreshadow a lifelong obesity?
Yes, this is right to a great extent, as the effect of exercise in such cases is usually very weak.
  • How could the origin of obesity be identified?
The appearance of the obese person indicates the origin of obesity. In case obesity is distributed throughout the body, this signifies that this case of obesity has been originated during childhood.
  • What does the waist-centered obesity indicate?
It indicates that this case of obesity has begun after childhood.
  • Is the adults' obesity curable?
Yes, by following an appropriate diet. Since this kind of obesity is caused by the increased size (not number) of fat cells.
  • What are the factors influencing obesity?
Genetic factors, hormones, and the imbalance between the energy obtained from food, and the energy consumed during physical activity.
  • How is obesity related to age?
Obesity is probable at any age. Yet, there is even high between 20 and 40 years old.
  • How could the relation between heredity and obesity be identified?
Heredity plays a significant role in identifying the quantity and distribution of fat cells in the body.
  • How could we understand the fact that there are usually more than one obese person in the one family?
This can be attributed to the common environmental circumstances, and the method, quantity and sorts of food, as well as the genetic factor.
There is a widespread belief that most obesity cases are attributed to hormonal factors. What do you think?
This, also, is one of the common mistake. The number of hormonal obesity cases is v
  • How do hormones affect obesity?
The hormonal disorder, manifested in the reduced secretion of the thyroid hormone, pituitary hormone, as well as the male and female hormones, usually lead to obesity.
  • Who is the obese person?
A person is said to be obese when his body keeps too much fat, with the effect that his weight becomes 10% higher than his proper weight.
  • What is the natural proportion of fat in the body?
15-25% of the body weight.
  • Does the husband's distemper affect the wife's weight?
Yes, certainly. The unhappy wife is more susceptible to overweight and obesity, since she usually takes refuge to eating whenever there are marital problems.
  • What is meant by “cellulite”?
It is the obesity the buttocks and lumbar (lower back) areas.
  • What is the incidence of cellulite?
About 80% of obese women suffer from cellulite.
  • Is it possible for a slim woman to have cellulite.
Yes, sometimes slim women have, as the fats are usually accumulated in these body areas.
  • But what is cellulite?
It is a gelatinous substance, consisting of fats, water and some other wastes stuck on the skin tissue.
  • What happens on the incidence of cellulite?
The tissues affected are gradually filled with the body's extra water and wastes, giving way to the accumulation of capillary around arteries, nerves and fat cells, and stifle them, thus weakening the blood circulation, and increases the accumulation of toxics.
  • What are the effective foods in combating cellulite?
Strawberries, pears, grapefruit, tomatoes, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, onions, turnips and yogurt.
  • Does exercise help in the treatment of cellulite?
Yes, especially swimming.
  • How does the psychological state affect weight?
Psychological pressures cause the appetite of some people to increase, and cause some other people to lose appetite.
  • How does the stomach size affect weight?
In case the stomach is relatively big, it takes a larger quantity  of food, and does not send the satiation signals to the satiety center only when it is full.
  • How is obesity related to the number of daily sleep hours?
Obesity is intimately related to the increase of sleep hours.
  • Why does much sleep cause obesity?
Because the rate of burning calories is much less during sleeping.
  • Does the thyroid secretion affect weight?
Yes.
  • How does the thyroid secretion affect weight?
The increase of the thyroid hormone accelerates the metabolism process, thus leading up to leanness.
  • How is the thyroid gland related to obesity?
The decline of the thyroid hormone results in indolence, fatigue, much sleep, and obesity.
  • How does obesity affect the joints of the body?
It increases the possibility of joint erosion at an early age, especially in the knees, femur, and the lumbar area.
  • How does obesity affect the sexual ability?
Obese persons are more prone to diabetes, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis, to the effect that their sexual desire abates. 
 
Last Update : 21 January 2012 03:45 PM
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